Objective To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and disease burden of liver cancer in Guangdong Province in 2020, and to provide a scientific foundation for the development of regionalized prevention and control strategies for liver cancer. Methods According to the cancer registry data of Guangdong Province, the incidence, mortality and age-standardized rate by Chinese standard population in 2020 were calculated to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of liver cancer. The disability adjusted life years (DALYs), year of life loss (YLL), year of lived with disability (YLD), and cause-eliminated life expectancy were used to assess the disease burden of liver cancer. Results In 2020, the crude incidence rate and the age-standardized incidence rate of liver cancer in Guangdong Province were 27.79/100 000 and 20.84/100 000，respectively, and the crude mortality rate and the age-standardized mortality rate of liver cancer were 25.49/100,000 and 17.64/100 000, respectively. The total DALY and DALY rate of liver cancer in Guangdong Province were 515 311 person-years and 513.83/100 000, respectively. After eliminating the causes of death from liver cancer, the life expectancy in Guangdong Province increased from 84.60 years to 84.99 years. All indicators consistently demonstrated that the burden of liver cancer was higher in males than that in females, and the burden of liver cancer was higher in rural areas than that in urban areas. Conclusion Liver cancer in Guangdong Province exhibits a high incidence, mortality and disease burden level in 2020. There are obvious differences of gender, age and region in cancer burden. It is necessary to strengthen liver cancer screening and diagnosis and treatment in men, the elderly and those in rural areas to reduce the burden of liver cancer gradually in Guangdong Province.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of the lateral needling technique combined with thunder-fire moxibustion in the treatment of the third lumbar trans-verse process syndrome(TLVTPS).Methods A total of 60 patients with definitive diagnosis of third TLVTPS admitted to the Department of Special Services and Department of Rehabilitation Medicine of the General Hospital of Southern Theatre Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army of China from June 2022 to February 2024 were selected as the study subjects.The patients were randomly divided into the observation group and the control group according to the random number table method,with 30 cases in each group.The control group was treated with electroacupuncture combined with red light local irradiation,and the observation group was treated with lateral needling technique combined with thunder-fire moxibustion.The patients were treated once every other day,and 10 times of treatment constituted a course of treatment,totaling two courses of treatment.After treatment,the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated,and the changes in the Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)scores of pain,and Japanese Orthopedic Association(JOA)scores before and after treatment were observed between the two groups.The changes in Oswestry Disability Index(ODI)scores before and after treatment were compared between the two groups.Results(1)After treatment,the VAS scores of the two groups of patients were improved significantly(P<0.05),and the improvement in the observation group was significantly superior to that in the control group,the difference being statistically significant(P<0.05).(2)After treatment,the JOA score and ODI score of patients in the two groups were improved significantly(P<0.05),and the improvement in the observation group was significantly superior to that in the control group,the difference being statistically significant(P<0.05).(3)The total effective rate was 93.33%(28/30)in the observation group and 83.33%(25/30)in the control group.The efficacy of the observation group was superior to that of the control group,the difference being statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion Lateral needling technique combined with thunder-fire moxibustion in the treatment of TLVTPS can significantly alleviate pain of the patients and enhance their mobility of the lumbar,so as to improve the quality of life of the patients.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)is the main pathogen that causes COVID-19,which is fast-mutating and highly transmissible.The infection has led to a global epidemic.As the main preventive and control measure,vaccination plays a critical role in fighting a-gainst COVID-19.Although a large number of epitope-based and mucosal vaccines have been stud-ied,few peptide epitope vaccines targeting the mucosa and their functional evaluation have been re-ported.In this study,we used SARS-CoV-2 structural protein M peptide epitope predicted by the IEDB database as an antigenic target to design the MS-3S gene containing 3 050 and 1 229 signal peptides and DCpep optimized for insertion into MS2 phage coat proteins.The expression plasmid pSIP:MS-3S was constructed by cloning the PCR fragments seamlessly and was transformed into Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 18 to obtain the recombinant bacterium LP18:MS-3S.Expression conditions such as induction time,inducer concentration,rotational speed and initial pH were opti-mized.The intranasal immunization experiments were performed to examine the vaccine efficacy.The results showed that the 916 bp-long target gene MS-3S modified and optimized was amplified and used to successfully construct the recombinant bacterial strain LP18:MS-3S.The optimal con-ditions for recombinant protein expression were obtained and verified by Western blot,flow cy-tometry,immunofluorescence and other detection methods.The optimal expression conditions were determined as follows:induction time was 4 h with 100 pg/L of SppIP as the optimal induction concentration.Antibody-specific for the epitope was verified by ELISA experiments in serum,alve-olar lavage fluid and fecal dilutions of mice.In summary,a recombinant bacterial strain expressing the epitope antigen of the SARS-CoV-2 M protein peptide was constructed.The obtained protein can induce the body to produce humoral and mucosal immunity,which lays the foundation for the development of a vaccine candidate for the mucosal immunity of COVID-19.

Objective To investigate the molecular typing,virulence,and drug resistance features of bacterial strains in a simultane-ous outbreak of paratyphoid fever A and B,and then provide evidence for the prevention and treatment of the simultaneous transmission of different types of paratyphoid fever.Methods The clinical data of 31 patients confirmed as paratyphoid fever in the Hospital of Xin-jiang Production and Construction Corps from September 2018 to November 2018 were retrospectively analyzed.The isolated strains were performed serotyping and drug sensitivity tests.The molecular typing and the detection of virulence and drug resistance genes were carried out by multiplex PCR,pulsed-field gel electrophoresis(PFGE),and multilocus sequence typing(MLST).Results A total of 32 strains of Salmonella paratyphi were isolated from 31 patients,with 19 strains classified as type A and 13 as type B.The intermedi-ate rates of all strains against ciprofloxacin were 100%.The molecular typing and serotyping results of 11 representative strains were consistent.The PFGE fingerprints of Salmonella paratyphi A and B were also consistent.The MLST of Salmonella paratyphi A was ST85,and that of Salmonella paratyphi B was ST86.All strains carried virulence island SPI1-SPI5 representative genes such as invA,sitC,sseL,sifA,mgtC,siiE,and sopB,and regulatory gene phoP.Salmonella paratyphi A also carried cytolethal distending toxin(CDT)genes with trimeric structure such as cdtB,pltA,and pltB.The virulence plasmid genes such as pefA,prot6E,and spvB were all negative.Conclusion The simultaneous transmission of Salmonella paratyphi A and B has the characteristics of high pathogenicity and poor sensitivity to ciprofloxacin,which should be highly concerned by clinical and laboratory personnel.

Objective:To study the trinucleotide repeats of GCN (GCA, GCT, GCC, GCG) encoding Alanine in exon 3 of the PHOX2B gene among healthy individuals from southwest China and two patients with Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome (CCHS). Methods:The number and sequence of the GCN repeats of the PHOX2B gene were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis, Sanger sequencing and cloning sequencing of 518 healthy individuals and two newborns with CCHS, respectively. Results:Among the 1036 alleles of the 518 healthy individuals, five alleles were identified, including (GCN) 7, (GCN) 13, (GCN) 14, (GCN) 15 and (GCN) 20. The frequency of the (GCN) 20 allele was the highest (94.79%). And five genotypes were identified, which included (GCN) 7/(GCN) 20, (GCN) 13/(GCN) 20, (GCN) 14/(GCN) 20, (GCN) 15/(GCN) 20, (GCN) 20/(GCN) 20. The homozygous genotypes were all (GCN) 20/(GCN) 20, and the carrier rate was 89.58%. Four GCN sequences of the (GCN) 20 homozygous genotypes were identified among the 464 healthy individuals. The GCN repeat numbers in the exon 3 of the PHOX2B gene showed no significant difference between the expected and observed values, and had fulfilled the, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The genotypes of the two CCHS patients were (GCN) 20/(GCN) 25 and (GCN) 20/(GCN) 30, respectively. Conclusion:It is important to determine the GCN repeats and genotypic data of the exon 3 of the PHOX2B gene among the healthy individuals. The number of GCN repeats in 518 healthy individuals was all below 20. The selection of appropriate methods can accurately detect the polyalanine repeat mutations (PARMs) of the PHOX2B gene, which is conducive to the early diagnosis, intervention and treatment of CCHS.

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and adverse reactions of BRAF inhibitor vermorafenib on the treat-ment of refractory craniopharyngioma carrying BRAF-V600E mutation.Methods Clinical data of two patients with refractory craniopharyngiomas(CP)were recorded and reviewed.The patients were followed up for 3-5 years.Lit-erature on CPs receiving BRAF or BRAF/MEK therapy was reviewed.Results 1)Papillary CP progressed after multiple operations and radiotherapy in two patients.Further treatments were very difficult.2)The presence of BRAF-V600E mutation in the tumor was confirmed,and vermorafenib was administered for 6.5-7.5 months.Tumor volumes remarkably shrank by 95%-99%.No tumor relapse was observed during the follow-up of 3-5 years after discontinuation of vemurafenib.3)The main adverse reaction was rash,which was dose dependent.4)Litera-ture review showed the volume shrank by 50%-100%in 33/34 tumors during BRAF or BRAF/MEK inhibitor therapy.Conclusions BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib is effective in treating refractory craniopharyngioma carrying BRAF-V600E mutation with endurable side effects,which may bring some changes to the management of CP in future.

Background/Aims: Low educational attainment is a well-established risk factor for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in developed areas. However, the association between educational attainment and the risk of NAFLD is less clear in China. Methods: A cross-sectional study including over 200,000 Chinese adults across mainland China was conducted. Information on education level and lifestyle factors were obtained through standard questionnaires, while NAFLD and advanced fibrosis were diagnosed using validated formulas. Outcomes included the risk of NAFLD in the general population and high probability of fibrosis among patients with NAFLD. Logistic regression analysis was employed to estimate the risk of NAFLD and fibrosis across education levels. A causal mediation model was used to explore the potential mediators. Results: Comparing with those receiving primary school education, the multi-adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) for NAFLD were 1.28 (1.16 to 1.41) for men and 0.94 (0.89 to 0.99) for women with college education after accounting for body mass index. When considering waist circumference, the odds ratios (95% CIs) were 0.94 (0.86 to 1.04) for men and 0.88 (0.80 to 0.97) for women, respectively. The proportions mediated by general and central obesity were 51.00% and 68.04% for men, while for women the proportions were 48.58% and 32.58%, respectively. Furthermore, NAFLD patients with lower educational attainment showed an incremental increased risk of advanced fibrosis in both genders. Conclusions In China, a low education level was associated with a higher risk of prevalent NAFLD in women, as well as high probability of fibrosis in both genders.

Objective:To investigate the sensitization characteristics of ragweed pollen in patients with allergic rhinitis（AR） and（or） allergic asthma in Beijing area, and to provide basis for the prevention and treatment of ragweed pollen sensitized population. Methods:Patients with allergic rhinitis and/or asthma from January 2017 to December 2019 in the outpatient department of Allergy Department of Beijing Shijitan Hospital were retrospectively analyzed in this study. Skin prick test（SPT） was performed with ragweed pollen allergen reagents to compare different ages, genders and respiratory diseases allergen distribution, and to observe the sensitization characteristics of its population. All of the analyses were performed using SAS software version 9.4. Results:A total of 9 727 patients were enrolled in the end. The total positive rate of ragweed pollen SPT was 45.50%（4 426/9 727）, the highest positive rate was 65.54% in 13-17 years old group; The positive rate of ragweed pollen SPT was 49.79% in allergic rhinitis combined with asthma patients, followed by 46.46% in allergic rhinitis patients, and the lowest rate was 19.42% in single allergic asthma patients. There were more females than males in both ragweed pollen sensitized and non-ragweed pollen sensitized groups（P<0.05）, and the proportion was higher in 30-39 years old than in other age groups（P<0.05）. Ragweed pollen sensitization was higher than non-ragweed pollen sensitization in the allergic rhinitis group（98.49% vs 94.76%, P<0.05）. Ragweed pollen with other summer and autumn pollen allergens in patients with positive SPT, the top three were Chenopodium pollen, Humulus pollen and Artemisia grandis pollen, with positive rates of 90.42%, 89.63% and 85.40%, respectively. Ragweed combined with other pollen sensitization accounted for 99.57%（4 407/4 426）. Allergic rhinitis was the main disease in patients sensitized with ragweed pollen alone or combined with other pollens, and there was no significant difference between the two groups（94.97% vs 98.50%, P>0.05）. Conclusion:Ragweed pollen is highly sensitized in Beijing area, single ragweed pollen sensitization is rare, often combined with multiple pollen sensitization, and allergic rhinitis is the main disease.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Allergens ; Pollen ; Rhinitis, Allergic ; Asthma/epidemiology* ; Skin Tests

Objective:To assess the clinical effectiveness and safety of Omalizumab for treating pediatric allergic asthma in real world in China.Methods:The clinical data of children aged 6 to 11 years with allergic asthma who received Omalizumab treatment in 17 hospitals in China between July 6, 2018 and September 30, 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.Such information as the demographic characteristics, allergic history, family history, total immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels, specific IgE levels, skin prick test, exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) levels, eosinophil (EOS) counts, and comorbidities at baseline were collected.Descriptive analysis of the Omalizumab treatment mode was made, and the difference in the first dose, injection frequency and course of treatment between the Omalizumab treatment mode and the mode recommended in the instruction was investigated.Global Evaluation of Treatment Effectiveness (GETE) analysis was made after Omalizumab treatment.The moderate-to-severe asthma exacerbation rate, inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) dose, lung functions were compared before and after Omalizumab treatment.Changes in the Childhood Asthma Control Test (C-ACT) and Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ) results from baseline to 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, and 52 weeks after Omalizumab treatment were studied.The commodity improvement was assessed.The adverse event (AE) and serious adverse event (SAE) were analyzed for the evaluation of Omalizumab treatment safety.The difference in the annual rate of moderate-to-severe asthma exacerbation and ICS reduction was investigated by using t test.The significance level was set to 0.05.Other parameters were all subject to descriptive analysis.A total of 200 allergic asthma patients were enrolled, including 75.5% ( n=151) males and 24.5% ( n=49) females.The patients aged (8.20±1.81) years. Results:The median total IgE level of the 200 patients was 513.5 (24.4-11 600.0) IU/mL.Their median treatment time with Omalizumab was 112 (1-666) days.Their first dose of Omalizumab was 300 (150-600) mg.Of the 200 cases, 114 cases (57.0%) followed the first Omalizumab dosage recommended in the instruction.After 4-6 months of Omalizumab treatment, 88.5% of the patients enrolled ( n=117) responded to Omalizumab.After 4 weeks of treatment with Omalizumab, asthma was well-controlled, with an increased C-ACT score [from (22.70±3.70) points to (18.90±3.74) points at baseline]. Four-six months after Omalizumab administration, the annual rate of moderate-to-severe asthma exacerbation had a reduction of (2.00±5.68) per patient year( t=4.702 5, P<0.001), the median ICS daily dose was lowered [0 (0-240) μg vs. 160 (50-4 000) μg at baseline] ( P<0.001), the PAQLQ score was improved [(154.90±8.57) points vs. (122.80±27.15) points at baseline], and the forced expiratory volume in one second % predicted (FEV 1%pred) was increased [(92.80±10.50)% vs. (89.70±18.17)% at baseline]. In patients with available evaluations for comorbidities, including allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis or eczema, urticaria, allergic conjunctivitis and sinusitis, 92.8%-100.0% showed improved symptoms.A total of 124 AE were reported in 58 (29.0%) of the 200 patients, and the annual incidence was 0(0-15.1) per patient year.In 53 patients who suffered AE, 44 patients (83.0%) and 9 patients (17.0%) reported mild and moderate AE, respectively.No severe AE were observed in patients.The annual incidence of SAE was 0(0-1.9) per patient year.Most common drug-related AE were abdominal pain (2 patients, 1.0%) and fever (2 patients, 1.0%). No patient withdrew Omalizumab due to AE. Conclusions:Omalizumab shows good effectiveness and safety for the treatment of asthma in children.It can reduce the moderate-to-severe asthma exacerbation rate, reduce the ICS dose, improve asthma control levels, and improve lung functions and quality of life of patients.